Supermarket fridges aren't like your fridge at home, which typically contains less than 200 grams of refrigerant. On average, it found a single supermarket emits 875 pounds (400 kilograms) of HFCs a year, equivalent to carbon emissions from 300 cars. In the U.S. alone, it calculated supermarket HFC leaks cause as much global warming as burning 22 million tonnes of coal. Since a typical refrigeration system lasts about 30 years, decisions made now about what refrigerant to use can affect global emissions for decades. The federal government will start to offer carbon offset credits for projects that cut refrigerant emissions, including those in supermarkets.
